Improvement in submarine batteries



N. W. NORTHRUP.

Submarine Battery.

Patented Sept 15, 1863.

NJHERS. PHOTO UNHED S'ra'rns PATENT this a O NELSON V. NORTHRUP, OF GREENE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT lb! SUBMARINE BATTERIES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,9d7, dated September 15, 1863; antedated August 14, 1862.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, NELSON XV. NORTH- RUP, 0f the town of Greene, county of Ohenango, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Submarine Battery for Han bor Defense; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing a buoy with an internal magazine of explosive material arranged with cap-nipples, spring-hammers, and levers to be operated by means of attached cords and wires, to ignite the magazine when a proper object comes in contact with the buoy or wires, the same to be anchored in the channel where the object to be destroyed must pass.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figures 1 and 2 are views of two buoys, fully arranged and anchored in a proper place and condition, connected by a cord or wire with a sustaining-buoy in the center. Fig. 4 shows the magazine inside the buoy; also the tubes through which the cord or wire passes from the magazine to the outside of the buoy. Fig. 5 is a representation of the magazine, lever, and spring-hammer. Fig. 7 is a crosssection View of the magazine, levers, spring hammers, and cap-nipp1es.

I construct a buoy of any desirable size or form, Fig. 1, A, and of such material as may be necessary, including tin, copper, or rubber, having rings at each end and on the sides a a b I), to attach anchor-chains c c c c, for the purpose of sinking the buoy below the surface of the water and holding it stationary. I also have a tube, (Z (Z, on each side of the buoy, made bellshaped at the end, as at 8 8, Fig. 4, to admit a cord or wire, Z, to be attached to the levers j j of the magazine f f, Fig. 5. The magazine, Fig. 5, I make with two cylinders, f f, connected in the center by a tube, g,which forms a part of the magazine. On opposite sides I have cap-nipples h h, Fig. 4, and to the surface-of the cylinders f f, Fig.

5, I attach two hammer-springs, c 0, Figs. 5 and 7, and two levers, jj, Fig. 7, the end of the spring-hammer resting 011 the nipples h h,- and inner point of the lever under the end of the spring-hammer. I make an eye, k 70, Fig. 7, in the lever j, to which I attach a-cord or wire, Z, "by which means I lift the spring-hammer to cause the explosion of the magazine. The cord Z being attached to the lever and passed through the tube (Z, I charge and cap the magazine and carefully place it inside of the buoy in proper position, and fasten it by any means that will hold it firm in its place.

It will be seen that it is necessary to make the buoy in two pieces or more, in order to arrange the magazine and parts connected with tube, 0 c, drawn over the end of the tube d,

and made fast with pack-thread or other means, and through this elastic tube the cord Zis passed, and a knot or bulb, m, is made at some little distance from the end of the rubber tube. I then push back the bulb m into the tube, and fasten the elastic tube firmly on both sides of the bulb. I also provide each buoy with four anchor-weights,with cablesoc c, m c, x 0, ac c, Fig. 2, to reach out a distance from and at right angles with the center of the buoy, and having sufiicient tension to draw the buoy below the surface of the water when sunk. I use two or more of these magazines and buoys in combination, anchored as before described, in the channel, at any proper distance apart, and connect them together by means of the cord or wire Z, having an allowance of length so it will admit of considerable curve. In the center of this connecting cord I affix a small sustainingbuoy, n, Fig. 3. To this buoy I attach two small anchor-weights, w w, reaching out toward the buoys A, with length of cable to admit the sway of the cord Z by the current and yet prevent ovcrstrain on the elastic made, arranged, and operated as hereinbetubes 6 e in time of storm, or by force of the fore described, and for the purposes therein current. named. V

WVhat I claim as my invention and desire to T T secure by Letters Patent, is LELSON LORTHRUP' The combination of the buoys, magazines, \Vitnesses:

J B. WVoonRUnF, W M. FRANK BROWNE.

levers, spring -hammers, nipple-tubes, cords I or wires, and cab1es,with the an0hor-we1ghts, 

